Way too close to Mother Grizzly - Hiking Yellowstone 

I know, it is amazing. That is why I love seeing all wildlife. It is alway amazing.

One thing I’ve noticed from watching a lot of wild animals is that babies/young juveniles obey their mothers, they don’t fuss, dawdle or argue like humans sometimes do. They know when mom means business. And of course wild animals (adults) always maintain situational awareness. Sharp survival instincts.

That is right, that is how I do it. Thanks for your comments.

She was thanking him for all the recent Good Vibrations.

Mom will not charge too far from her cubs, that protective ethic keeps her close on guard for predators from the rear.

I'm not buying a grizzly chasing a ground squirrel

I wish everyone was as smart and responsible as you, Grizzlies die all the time because of selfish hikers that have no non lethal tools like bear spray in back country just guns, it just ensures bears especially sows with cubs always die unnecessarily

@@twostop6895 I would take a compressed air boat horn, a least two bear mace cans and a Glock 40 MOS 10mm handgun with two magazines loaded with 220gr bullets! I would do my best to stay far enough away and not use any of the above! after all I’m not hunting bear, I’m hiking / exploring and my tools are defensive. Plus, this may not be the only encounter that day. If I were hunting bear, I’d have a high powered rifle or large gauge shotgun with 000 buck or a slug.

@@twostop6895 If a bear is dumb enough to attack a human then it deserves to die. I hate when people give so much sympathy to a predator that would literally eat you without pause. Smart bears know that humans are the apex creatures and do their best to stay out of conflict with us. Those "weary" genes gets passed along to their offspring and that's how we coexist.

@@luke2209 lol, I just baited a problem right winger out of his hole, insert default race we all know who you are

@@twostop6895 giving more value to a human life than a bear`s life is right wing. Ok.

I heard that grizzly olfactory is 1000x human... maybe more.

Yes, I really admire how he always handles the situation very calmly and has a well-thought out plan. I, an the other hand, would’ve gone into cardiac arrest; I guess that’s why I stick to the easy hikes for the wusses😂

@@kristiejacobs4854 😂😂

Dave, thank you for your comments. It's obvious you have spent a lot of time in Yellowstone. I hope you still get out here.

I know, I take it as augmenting my current skills. Can we get continuing education credits for watching?

25 meters is substantially too close for me. He understands the dynamic of mutual respect.

I will be doing that within the next couple weeks.

I bet you would find the experience of hiking in Yellowstone amazing and would always come back for more.

@@StanMills I think I'm just afraid of the larger predators. That said, I've only been to Yellowstone one time and that was in 2020 but I yearn to go back again. I was awestruck. It's so breathtaking. You're certainly very blessed to be able to visit often. Thanks for sharing your adventures and treks.

Well we did about 6 miles in, on Big Horn, today and there he was. Big ol’boy. He kinda surprised us as we slowly topped the hill. Luckily we had been quiet and really paying attention. Also we were upwind. Exciting experience.

@@Grimmeute exciting. Did you get any video by chance. It would be fun to see.

@@StanMills yes I was able to get some video. But with only my iPhone. Apparently the SD cards in both my GoPro and Nikon camera I bought before going to Yellowstone were defective. I will post videos on my RU-vid channel when I get back to Oklahoma and edit together. Hope they don’t look as bad as they do on a iPhone screen. haha.

@@StanMills I posted my video on my channel finally. Not as great as your stuff. I’m just upset I wasn’t able to use my GoPro and Nikon because we bought a bad batch of SD cards and didn’t know it till it was time to switch out cards. iPhone 12 Pro Max does do great videos if the subject is close. But after 50-75 yards it makes things look like they are 200 yards away.

If you believe grizzlies are adorable, here's your sign.

How was your hiking this summer?

@@StanMills it was incredible. We hiked in Yellowstone, Glacier and Gallatin NF. We saw 3 moose, and a couple black bear up close. Looking forward to next year. Thanks again!!

I agree completely. Seems like he knows exactly what he’s doing and I can see he’s been at it for a long time, but he’s taking a lot of chances.

@@justhere11 What?

Have you ever stopped to think and realize that the people that “Tell us, & Say…”, are people that have never done it and have zero experience solo hiking in grizzly country. They are always the people that want to hand out advice. I have been solo hiking in grizzly country for a long time and actually have experienced all kinds of situations with grizzlies. I also have log books and videos to show what it is really like; not made up or repeating something that someone else has said. But i remind you “This is the way I do it. You should do what feels best for you.” Thank you for your comment.

I appreciate that story because I would never expect mom to abandon her cubs in favor of having a bad day. But I live in black bear country.

as long as you have respectful distance mom will not approach you and jeopardize her cubs to other predators. [not that you are a predator though, I hope]

Bravery is often a subset of wisdom.

Respecting the wildlife in their home is what it is all about in God's beautiful creation. Thank you for your comments.

Yes, I alway carry 2 cans of bear spray. I have never used one. Thanks for your comment.

I'm sure if I was mingling in bear country as you do I'd have a back up in case the spray wasn't enough ! Thank You for your answer ...be safe !@@StanMills

It works for my needs. Large zoom, small, light weight. Quality is good enough for RU-vid (4K) but it is not a professional quality kind of camera.

Yes. They are small, out of the way, fit on my shoulder strap, light, and not hanging around my neck or in the way when I want to remove my pack.

Less. Looking at my log, I have seen 17 backcountry bears so far this year. By this time last year I seen 21, 2019 30, 2018 33, 2017 42. So very much trending down.

@@StanMills Any idea as to what is causing the down trend? Have the wildlife biologists at Yellowstone offered any informed options as to why there is such a reduction in numbers? Thanks again for another great video and stay safe.

@@tomdigangi2722 For years the estimate for Yellowstone grizzlies was about 700. Aren't these the same people that this year simply changed their formula for how they calculate the number of grizzlies to make it 1,000 grizzlies magically now! Have you ever see a wildlife biologist in the backcountry?? In 50 years I never have. The only people I have ever see are the bird Ornithologist that stay at the Elk Tongue cabin on Slough Creek each May.

I answered you in another video but I will add one other thing here. You are right about the grizzlies being just inside the tree line. That seems to be mostly on a hot day. But I guess the thing is, I know they are in there and I am watching and listening, and doing nothing to frighten them. But I have watched grizzlies getting off the trail and waiting inside the trees while hikers hike on by. It has happen to me. The 'normal' grizzly or mom with cubs will rather you not know they are there. A mom grizzly that already knows you are coming isn't going to run out and attack you, she does the opposite. But on the other hand, if she is sleeping, for example, and is frightened and woke up by a load human voice that she doesn't know where it is coming from, well now you may have a problem. You can see how many grizzlies I see in my videos. But just common sense will tell you that I must walk by a lot more that I don't see. I have videos out there where I have unknowingly walk right by moms with cubs, saw them when I turned around, and they just peacefully go about their business. For me, everything is about hiking in a peaceful and respectful way. All the animals seem to pick up on that. But you should do what is best for you. Thanks for your comments.

I always have 2 cans of bear spray with me but I have never had to use one.

Yes, I agree with you. But I never moved an inch when any of these bears were looking my direction. I have never felt good moving while a grizzly is looking my direction. If you don't move, it seems they look right past you, as in this video. Thanks for your comments.

I agree with you. Thanks for your comments.

Also, have you ever had to use bear spray? If so, how close did the bear get and lessons learned. Thanks in advance.

Yes every situation is different. As you can see watching my videos, all close encounters are a surprise. Never approach a grizzly from any distance once you spot them. I have a lot of encounters only because I hike in grizzly country - the Yellowstone Ecosystem. I have a lot of bear videos in my grizzly play list. You can see how I do it but that in no way means it is right for you. Gaining your own experience is best. Start out easy where it is safe and gradually gain experience. Learn how to immediately detect the mood of a bear. But even then, their mood can change instantly. You need to learn how you will actually react in a close encounter. I have never had a bad experience with a bear. My attitude is that I am out in God's beautiful creation at peace with all of the wildlife. I try to treat all wildlife and bears with great respect by remembering this is there home and I don't to anything to scare or alarm them. I have never had to use bear spray. Your question - How much time do I have to get away; you have no time. If a grizzly decides to come after you then you don't have much chance of getting away. That is why I never do anything to alarm a grizzly. As soon as a grizzly detects you at any distance they will react. I want them to react calmly if they detect me. A fear reaction could be bad, like a mom with cubs (like you see in this video). She was in a calm state when she detected me and then moved away in a calm state. I guess I could write a book on this subject but of course what I say is just my opinion gained from my experience. I am no expert, I learn more each and every time I am out there. Thank you for your comment.

John, you don't have to live your life that way. Joy and peace can only come from the LORD. Ask him to enter your life and everything will change. You will get LIFE, it is a free gift.

You should always make as much noise as possible when trying to avoid bears. Stan is staying silent so he can sneak up on them and view and film them. Very dangerous but he obviously knows the risk and is worth it to him. Me, I make a lot of noise. Lol

@@billoberg6716 I don't usually respond to opinions very often but you are so far off the mark that I need to respond. I hike quietly and peacefully because this is their home and the only one they have left. I don't want to bother the wildlife in any way if I can avoid it. For example the first grizzly never know I was there. It is about treating the wildlife and where they live with respect. For example, If you were sitting down eating a quiet peaceful meal with you family and someone broke into the front door screaming and yelling, how would you feel and how would you respond? It is about exploring God's beautiful creation in a peaceful and respectful way. There is a lot more that goes into the way I hike than people realize. I could probably write a book on it. Thanks for your comments.

@@StanMills I agree with your philosophy, Stan. Being quiet also allows one to have a better experience, hear all the natural sounds and get closer to nature. It does however increase the risk of potentially dangerous encounters. I would not dare going off trail, but even on a trail encounters do happen. Then again, most people exaggerate the chances of an attack. It's a bit of primal fear. I always enjoy your videos.

@@StanMills I solo-hike about every-other-year in Yellowstone, and have been doing that for years. Like Stan does, I walk slowly and do not make noise - no "Hey Bear!" and clapping. Of course, if I'm hiking with a companion, we engage at normal volume, but more on the quiet side. The best part of the hiking experience in Yellowstone is to see animals. Bears aren't the only animal you're missing when you're out there shouting "Hey bear!" If you're that fearful of bears, stick to the road. My only questions is, how did Stand get within 25 yards of Momma without her detecting his scent? Bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. For example, the average dog's sense of smell is 100 times better than a human's. A blood hound's is 300 times better. A bear's sense of smell is 7 times better than a blood hound's or 2,100 times better than a human's.

@@robertbailey3024 that is true about how well they smell. But it is not that simple. They are normally in the dirt smelling for a gofer, roots, bulbs…concentrating on the task at hand. They look up and smell the breeze about every 4 to five minutes. That was plenty of time for me to move over the hill from the other side (moving away from the other grizzly) and close to her by accident. I have had this very thing happen on multiple occasions; while moving away from one grizzly, running into another. The scariest thing about a close encounter like this would have been if one of the Cubs looked up and squealed. You can only imagine what the mothers reaction might be.